Council Leader, Andrew Burns, responds to the Spring Budget yesterday.

"Yesterday’s Spring Budget signalled an important commitment to Edinburgh and to our neighbouring local authorities.

"By announcing a City Deal for the region, the Chancellor cemented two years’ worth of
positive conversations between Edinburgh and the South East Scotland region,
the Scottish Government and the UK Government.

"As Scotland’s capital city, we have been
working closely with our neighbouring authorities - East Lothian, Fife,
Midlothian, Scottish Borders and West Lothian - on a deal which will drive
productivity and growth while reducing inequalities and deprivation.

"We initially submitted our proposals in
September 2015 and remain as determined as ever to negotiate greater fiscal
powers and funding towards strategic housing, transport and infrastructure, to
help the region to become the most connected, creative, inclusive and
innovative place in Europe.

"Each local authority has different strengths
and opportunities. Edinburgh has a successful economy, is internationally
renowned for culture and tourism, and heralded as an international Knowledge
Capital, yet for all our strengths we are also a divided region, with
significant numbers missing out on prosperity.

"We are performing well economically, but we
are not achieving our full growth potential. In some industries we have a
critical skills shortage and infrastructure pushed to the limits of population growth.
And it is frankly not acceptable that almost a quarter of our region’s
residents live in fuel poverty, while 21% of our children live in poverty.

"But through more innovation, the development
of skills and infrastructure projects and the acquisition of increased powers,
we can further enhance the region’s reputation as a great place to live, work,
do business and invest in, and help accelerate economic growth not just for the
region, but for the whole of Scotland and the wider UK.

"So, this week’s commitment from Westminster
is a very positive step forward for our proposals to tackle inequality and
accelerate substantial economic growth through investment in innovation, skills
and infrastructure."

Andrew Burns

This entry was posted by Media Team on 17/03/2016.

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